


Fear

by legolastariel



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: M/M, POV Fear, POV First Person
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-28
Updated: 2017-02-28
Packaged: 2018-09-27 11:48:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 989
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10019465
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/legolastariel/pseuds/legolastariel
Summary: I'm in a funny mood today. Just posted "Death" http://archiveofourown.org/works/10017467and this is a sequel or partner story to it.This time it's from Fear's POV.My goal is to become a constant part of people’s lives, someone who’s always lurking in the back of their mind as a steady reminder that they are not immortal, that there is danger out there, that they need to be careful. It is me who keeps them alert and thus alive.But Rick Grimes and his group … they are pushing all of my buttons.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Death](https://archiveofourown.org/works/10017467) by [legolastariel](https://archiveofourown.org/users/legolastariel/pseuds/legolastariel). 



**Fear**

This is getting tiring, honest to God. I’ve got a job to do here and I think as long as mankind exists I’ve done a damn good job. There has never been a single human being on this planet who didn’t know me, but I don’t care for the occasional or once-in-a-life time acquaintances. People who don’t respect me usually meet my buddy Death soon enough, so why waste my time?

My goal is to become a constant part of people’s lives, someone who’s always lurking in the back of their mind as a steady reminder that they are not immortal, that there is danger out there, that they need to be careful. It is me who keeps them alert and thus alive.

But Rick Grimes and his group … they are pushing all of my buttons.

I think my fellows and I, we work pretty well together and none of us have reason to compain about being unimployed recently.  
I don’t mean to brag, but when the apocalypse started Death and I did a tremendous job. Perfect team work, I dare say. We’ve always worked well together and in most cases we work the same case at the same time. Hardly anyone ever calls for Joy when Death comes knocking. Sometimes Fury is hired for assistance, sometimes Relief or Sadness, but in most cases it’s me. I never understood why actually. Death is a pretty cool dude once you’ve gotten to know him.

Now, years after the outbreak, Despair, Sadness, Fury, Death and me are working overtime and hardly get a breather. Well, come to think of it, there are a few of my co-workes here who most certainly do have reason to complain. Joy, for instance, is bitching all the time now that she barely has anything to do anymore. Well, talk to the boss, honey. This entire apocalypse thing wasn’t our idea, after all. We’re just doing our job.

Let’s say, we are _trying_ to do our job, but that one group sure is a challenge. What the heck does it take for me to be a constant part of their life, to be someone they know well and respect?  
The dead are walking, they’ve lost their home time and again, they are losing people, every single day is like swimming against the tide and for a while there one or the other of them almost embraced me. Gabriel did and Eugene, and I’m doing a pretty good job with Carol these days. But all that is only minor progress.  
The problem is Rick, always has been. They look up to him, they follow him and as long as he keeps getting back up no matter what brought him to his knees, so will the rest of them.  
I was so close. Negan … God, I love that guy. Ever since he appeared on the scene, I’ve had a ball with that group. And even Rick did get to know me, bowed his head and understood, finally understood my power and what I’m able to do. I had him on his knees, giving in, giving up – he was mine. And the rest would have gone down with him, but someone always has to interfere and ruin what I’ve so tirelessly worked for.

Hope. God damnit, she is such a bitch. Each and every time I have that group on their knees, Rick first of all, she pops up with her bright cheerful disposition and lets them see that blasted light at the end of the tunnel. And to top things off, she always brings that friend of hers along who’s just as bad – Courage.

I can’t work like that! This is sabotage. I was so close. Rick was falling into that deep dark abyss and for a while there I was his best friend. Two of his people had been killed right before his eyes, he almost had to chop his son’s arm off and the man he cares for most was taken away from him. Without Daryl he lost his way and I was so close to finally close the deal.  
And then Hope and Courage interfered, again, thoroughly ruined my success rate and got him back on his feet. I’m gonna talk to the boss about this. This is outragous. If I ever get my hands on them …

“Not our fault”, they just grinned in my face with an innocent shrug. “You best be talking to _her_.”

I turn around to see who the heck the one is who’s interfering with all my attempts. Who on Earth is stronger than Fear?

Rick just walks up to Daryl with large strides and a moment later pulls him into a tight embrace. They hug each other close, bury their faces on the other’s shoulder and I can almost hear their hearts beat faster, but it’s not because of me. It’s because of _her_.

She’s standing next to them, embracing them and smiling. Love!

I give up. I know when I’m defeated and I should have known. It was her all along – I didn’t stand a chance to make those two mine from the very start, because they were already hers. She is stronger than the rest of us together, so I best find a new task, another group. My work here is done.

It’s unfair and by rights I should report this to the boss. But when I look up I see Hope, Courage, Fury, Despair, Joy, Death and Sadness standing in a circle around Rick and Daryl, watching them hug – and they smile. All of them. Who am I to be a spoilsport? They’ve met all of us and they stood by each other, saw it all through with unfaltering devotion. They deserve Love.

I’ll find another task, someone who deserves Fear. A new challenge. Someone who hasn’t met me often enough yet. And I think Negan is just the guy I’m looking for.

 

\- The end -


End file.
